Apparatus for treating articles



June 28, 1960 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 FIG.|

4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS KARL. BOF'INGEE 5521' A. DEISCH ATTOEN EY5June 28, 1960 K. BOFINGER ETA!- APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 l IIIII. II- I E a mm F Mo B E wdIATTORNEYS June 28,1960 K. B $HNGER Em 2,942,719

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3FIG.3

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if I 5i I I 75 if INVENTORS 22% z avca I BY .ZM HZ? AT TOEN EYS June 28,1960 K. BOFINGER EFAL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Feb. 6, 1956 INVENTORS. KARL BOF'NGEE BERT A. DEISCH 2 ATTORNEYS2,942,719 APrAnArUs non TREArnIo anircrns Kari Bofinger, Cincinnati,Ohio, and Bert A.'Deisch, Lndlow, Ky., assignors-to American Can Compwy,New York, N.Y.,'a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 6, 1956, Ser. No.563,626

The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating articles suchas sheet material canbody blanks and has particular reference toconveyor and gripper devices for carrying, holding and swinging theblanks into predetermined positions for treatment of the marginal edgeportions of the blanks.

This application is a companion to the following applications filed inthe United States Patent Otfice: Serial Number 563,578, filed February6, 1956, in the name of Harold R. Vitense on Apparatus for TreatingArticles; application, Serial Number 563,621, filed February- 6, 1956,in the names of Karl Bofinger and Ronald E. I. Nordquist, on Apparatusfor Treating Articles; application, Serial Number 563,576, filedFebruary 6, 1956, in thenames of Harold R. Vitense and Walter F-.Pillnik, on Apparatus for Treating Edge Portions of Can Body Blanks; andSerial Number 563,577, filed Februaryi 6,

1956, in the name of Harold R. Vitense, on Method of Treating EdgePortions or Blanks. 7

An object of the invention is theprovis ion in a sheet blank treatingapparatus, of a conveyor having gripper devices which-are pivot ableinto predetermined positions While advancing along a path-of travel soas to receive and discharge a blank in a horizontal position tofacilitate feeding the blanks intoand out of the apparatus and to swinga-blank into a vertically suspendedposition for treatment.

Another object is the provision-of such giipperdevices which aredesigned to grip-and hold a blankin an edge- 'wise relation for movementthrough the apparatus in such a relation.

Another object is the provision in such gripper devices of means forproperly locating the blank and for firmly gripping the blank so as tofacilitate treatment of marginal edge portions of accurately definedareas.

Another object is the provision of such gripper devices which areparticularly adapted-to advancement along a constant level path'oftravel.

Numerous other objects and advantages'of the invention will be apparentas itis better understood'from the following description, which,takenin-con-nection'with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure -1 is a side elevation-of a sheetblank treating apparatusembodying the instant "invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, with partsbroken away;

Figs. 3, 4 and are enlarged fragmentary sectional views takensubstantially along the'lines 3-3, 4-4, 5-5

in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6'is an enlarged endelevation of one of the gripper devices used inthe apparatus, parts being broken back-and shown in section; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of one of the gripper devices andadjacent portions of the apparatus.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention thedrawings illustrate an apparatus for United tates P ice conveying sheetmetal can body blanks A, held'in suspended relation with one marginaledge portion free and exposed andarranged in edgewise spaced relation,along a predetermined constant level path of travel for treatment of thefree and exposed edge portion of the blanks.

The blanks A preferably are fed into the apparatus from any suitablesource of supply, in spaced processional order and in a horizontalposition, with their short or end marginal edge portions to be treatedin the direction of travel of the blanks. This feeding of the blanks Ainto the apparatus is effected preferably by a short endless chainconveyor 21 (Fig. 2) having spaced feed dogs for propelling engagementbehind the blanks. The blanks are supported and retained in straightline relation by'a pair of spaced and parallel horizontal guide rails23.

As the blanks A enter the apparatus, they advance into positionalongside of one run of a horizontally disposed endless conveyor chain25 having grippers 26 pivotally mounted thereon at spaced intervalstherealong for gripping one end edge portion of a blank A as it entersthe apparatus and for carrying the blank along the path of travel of theconveyor. After gripping the blank, the gripper pivots it from itshorizontal position to a vertically suspended position and in thisposition carries it through a plurality of treating stations 28, 29(Figs. 1 and 2) for treatment of the free and exposed end marginal edgeportion of the suspended blank.

After treatment, the blank A is pivoted upwardly from its suspendedposition into a horizontal position, by a swinging movement of thegripper 26, to facilitate discharge of the blank from the apparatus.This discharge of the blank preferably is effected by a discharge con-'veyor 31 which is disposed adjacent the conveyor chain 25 and which isprovided with spaced feed dogs for propolling engagement behind theblanks being discharged. Spaced and parallel guide rails 32 support andguide the blanks during discharge. The conveyor carries the blanks toany suitable place of deposit.

The treating conveyor chain 25 operates over a pair of spacedhorizontally disposed sprockets 34, 35 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) mounted onvertically disposed shafts 36, 37 journaled in suitable bearings mountedin a structural frame 38 which constitutes the main frame of theapparatus. The shaft 36 carrying the sprocket 34, is a driving shaft andat its lower end is connected to an angle drive device 41 actuatedthrough a chain and sprocket connec tion 42 with an electric motor 43.

The conveyor chain 25 is accurately guided and supported along its pathof travel in order to maintain it at a constant level. For'this purpose,the chain 25 carries spaced depending rollers 46 (Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 7)which while traveling between the sprockets 34, 35 operate in stationaryguide tracks 47 which are secured to station- 'ary parts attached to themain frame 38. The guide tracks 47 confine the conveyor chain 25 againstlateral travel and thus keep the chain accurately in a straight linebetween the sprockets. Around the sprockets 34, 35 the rollers 46 engageagainst a peripheral face 49 (Fig. 3') of the sprockets to keep thechain in proper alignment.

Vertical support of the conveyor chain 25 is effected by spaced pairs ofrollers 51 (Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 7') which project inwardly from verticalbrackets 52 secured to the chain 25 at intervals along its length.Between the sprockets 34, 35 and around the sprocket 35, the rollers 51ride on a horizontally disposed stationary support plate 53 which issecured to members of the main frame 38. This plate 53 extends up to thesprocket 34 and aligns with an auxiliary support shelf 54 (Fig. 3) of astationary cam 55 carried on the main frame 38 and surrounding thesprocket shaft 36 above the sprocket 34. In traveling around thesprockets 3-4-the rollers 51 ride on the support shelf 54.

U The grippers 26'attachedto the conveyor chain 25 for carrying andpivoting the blanks A into proper position,

' as shown in Fig. 3. The

comprise a pair of cooperating spaced apart inner and outer jaws 58, 59(Figs. 3,4, 5, 6'and 7) hinged together on a pintle 61 intermediatetheir lengths forthe reception of one end marginal edge portion'of ablank A. 'At one end of the jaws, at the leftas viewed in Figs. 3 and 4,

their inner faces are provided with inwardly projecting 4 'guide lugs 62which areutilized'to guide and partially support'a blank during itsreception and discharge from the gripper. Adjacent the opposite ends ofthe jaws 58,

roller 85 in riding the cam groove 88 holds the inner jaw 58 in asubstantially horizontal position for advancement under the incomingblank. The roller 67 on the outer jaw 59 rides under a projecting camtrack 89 on the stationary cam 55 and thereby holds the jaw 59 openrelative to the jaw 58 for passage over the top of the incoming blank.The cam track 89 extends for a major portion around the cam 55, over thepath of travel of the conveyor chain 25.

' When the open jaws 58, 59 of a gripper 26 and the 7 adjacent marginaledge portion'of an incoming'blank 59 and located between themjis a-compression spring 64 which operates to keep the guide lug ends of thejaws the jaws58, 59 as will be hereinafter explained; Y

closed. The spring end of the outer jaw 59 is formed with a pairofspaced outwardly projecting bearings 65 which carry a pin 66 on which ismounted a roller 67 utilized for opening Intermediate the guideilugs Y62and the jaw pintle 61,

the inner jaw 58 carries a locating pin 69 which projects into the spacebetween the jaws and into a clearance opening 71 inthe outer jaw "59.This locating pin 69 locates the'edge of the blank which enters betweenthe ,jawsupon reception so as to accurately locate the outer free andexposed edge portion to be treated.

Gripping of a blankA between the jaws is eifected by apair of spacedelements located adjacent the locating pin 69 and between this pin andthe guide lugs 62. For

this purpose theinner jaw 58 is provided with a pair of J bosses 73 andthewouter jaw 59 is provided'with a like oppositely disposed pair ofbosses 74,- which extend toward each other for cooperation and which arespaced] near the side edges of the jaws to spread the clamping effect.The bosses 74 in the outer jaw 59.threadedly hold adjustable set screws75 (Fig; 6) having sharp gripping 1 points 76 which extend inwardlybeyond the bosses 74 for engagement with a blank interposed between thejaws.

A locknut 77 on each screw 75 holds it in an adjusted 7 position. Thegripping points 76 on the screws .75 align with small clearance openings78 (see also Fig; 7) in the oppositely disposed bosses 73 in the jaw 58to facilitate firm gripping of the blank by the two widely spreadgripping points 76. f a a a This entire gripper element 26, as'explainedabove is "pivotally mounted sidewise on the conveyor chain for carryingthe gripped blank edgewise' and for laterally.

swinging the'blank away from the conveyor chain. For

' this purpose the inner jaw 58 provided'with a pair-of spaced,horizontally aligned hinge lugs 81 whichjare 1 mounted on a pivot pin 82disposed parallel with the carried on the inner'jaw 58 and which ridesin a cam" groove 86 Ma stationary cam or track 87 which is part of theconveyor chain support 'plates'53. This track or per 26 betweenthesprockets 34," and' around'the i cam '87 extends fromthe drivingsprocket34of the con: 7 1

veyor chain 25; for the entire path'of travel of'the'grip1 sprocket .35,and return to the sprocket 34 as best shown inFigs; 1 and 2; 'The'cam"grooye"86 is shaped to hinge the bOdily' as desired; Around the 1driving 7 sprocket-'34, the gripper is guided'byFth'e passage of theactuating roller 85 through acamjgroove 88 (Fig; 3)' in the stationarycam surrounding the sprocket driving gripper travels around the sprocketdriving ss'pr the. conveyor chain 25, so as to receive between them anincoming 'horizontallyldispos'ed' blank A on the entrance or ifeedinconveyorz l a' s' explained above. "The jaws are T .hgiaiep n throughcontrol pfithe: gripper rauis- 67, s5

move into register, with the end edge of the blank in engagement withthe locating pin 69 in the gripper and with the guide lug 62 on theinner jaw supporting the blank, the roller 67 rides from under the camtrack 89 and thereby permits the compression spring 64 to close theouter jaw 59 against the blank, as shown in Fig. 4. In thus releasingand closing the outer jaw 59, the sharp points 76 of the gripping screwsin the outer jaw, close against and bite into the located marginal edgeportion'of the blank and thus tightly or firmly grip and hold the blankbetween the gripper jaws. The two screws 75 being spaced apartsubstantially the width of the blank increases the holding power of thescrews and prevents shifting of the blank during subsequent treatment.

With the jaws 58, 59 firmly holding the blank in place,

the advancing grippercarriesthe blank edgewise and horizontally ofl'thefeed-in conveyor 21 and along the path of travel of the conveyor chain25, traveling around the "-idler sprocket'3r5 and returning to thedriving sprocket its horizontal position to its yertiCa Y jSuspe'ndedp'osia tionffor treatment. 7

Following treatment of the. blank and as: it advances along the returnrun of the conveyor chain'25 toward the driving sprocket "34; thegripper 26 is again swung bodily to pivot the blank back into itshorizontal position fordischarge. The blank is returned to itshorizontal position just as it approaches the dischargeconveyor31 and inthis position rides onto the'dischargev conveyor. At this time inthecycle of operation, the gripper roller. 67. againengages under thecam track 89 as shown in Fig. 3 and thereby opens the outer jaw 59: to.release the blank for discharge, while the guide lug 62011 the inner jaw58 supports the blank until the feeddogs on the discharge conveyor31"engage behind the'blank and'adyance it out of register with thegripper 26." The gripper. thereupon advances around the driving sprocket3 4' to return to the feed-in conveyor 21 to pick up another blanktocarry it through another cycle of operation. H a 7 I It is thoughtthatthe invention and many'of its attendant advantages will be understoodfrom the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various.changes may be made in the form construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spiritand. scope of the invention'or'sacrificing all of its" materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore'describ'e'dbeing 'nierely a a preferred embodiment thereof. ,7

We claim: 7

1. In a machine for treating relatively hinr xible and flat canbodyblanks, the combination of a conveyor moving along a predeterminedpath of travel, a gri per comprising an inner jaw and an outer jaw, saidinner jaw having a pivotal mounting on said'con'veyor extending longietudinally thereof and said outer 'jawhaving a pivotal.

'7 jaw on its mounting to grip said marginal portionofthe blank between''said'gripper means and to hold the 'blank in 'an 'edgewise positionrelative to its direction of travel with the conveyor, locating means.disposed 'between said jaws and adjacent said pivotal mounting of theouter jaw for engaging and locating the innermost edge of a blank in apredetermined position relative to said gripper means, gripperoscillating means for engaging and swinging said inner arm on itsmounting to move said gripped blank into a plurality of positionsranging from a substantially hori- Zontal to a vertically suspendedposition for treatment of a lower portion of the blank, and jaw openingmeans for releasing said blank from said jaws.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said gripping meanscomprises a pointed gripper element on one of said jaws and an opposinggripper element having an opening formed therein to provide clearanceopposite said pointed gripper element.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said locating meansprovides a single gauging point and said gripping means comprises aninner and an outer jaw provided with two pairs of said opposing pointedclearanceproviding gripping elements, each of said pairs of grippingelements being disposed on a line substantially parallel to the path ofthe conveyor and spaced from said gauging point on opposite sidesthereof.

4. In a machine for treating relatively thin, flexible and flat can bodyblanks, the combination of a conveyor moving along a predetermined pathof travel, a gripper comprising an inner jaw and an outer jaw, saidinner jaw having a pivotal mounting on said conveyor extendinglongitudinally thereof and said outer jaw having a pivotal mounting onsaid inner jaw also extending longitudinally of the conveyor, opposinggripper means on said inner and outer jaws cooperable for gripping amarginal portion of a said blank, jaw closing means for swinging saidouter jaw on its mounting to grip said marginal portion of the blankbetween said gripper means and to hold the blank in an edgewise positionrelative to its direction of travel with the conveyor, gripperoscillating means for engaging and swinging said inner arm on itsmounting to move said gripped blank into a plurality of positionsranging from a substantially horizontal to a vertically suspendedposition for treatment of a lower portion of the blank, jaw openingmeans for releasing said blank from said jaws, feed-in means anddischarge means disposed adjacent said conveyor for feeding a said blankto said gripper and for discharging said blank from said gripper, andguide lugs adjacent the outer free ends of said jaws and projectinginwardly between said jaws for guiding said blank as it is insertedtherebetween by said feed in means and for supporting said blank onopposite sides thereof during its subsequent movements while gripped bysaid jaws.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,949,125 Ladd Feb. 27, 1934 1,977,704 Vaughan Oct. 23, 1934 2,368,525Daw Ian. 30, 1945 2,710,493 Glynn lune 14, 1955 2,742,017 Kennedy Apr.17, 1956 2,755,205 Robb July 17, 1956 2,766,870 Baker Oct. 16, 19562,843,248 Bofinger July 15, 1958

